The Clarification and Limpidity of White Wines. 741 



way. The wine, thus impi'isoued, can reasonably be preserved for a 

 long time without fermenting, but to prevent any surprises in this 

 direction samples may occasionally be drawn from a spile hole, care 

 being taken to dip the spile in the bisulphide solution before 

 replacing it. 



In accordance with the progress of maturing under these condi- 

 tions trial bottlings should be made, the first immediately after 

 filtration and the second sulphuring. Possibly after the wine has 

 matured for a time, a second filtration may be necessary, which will 

 naturally entail a final sulphuring of the wine. It is easy to under- 

 stand that if the wine is thus rendered ready for bottling after three 

 or four rackings only, or even after five or six rackings, the total 

 quantity of sulphurous acid will be less than if it were treated in the 

 ordinary way and received 12 or 15 sulphurings. In regard to the 

 amount of free sulphurous acid it will be rapidly diminished in bottle 

 on account of an incomplete saturation of certain elements in the wine 

 which enter into combination with it. It is to be noticed that 

 should practice confirm this theoretical programme there will be a 

 distinct advantage in the reduction of the expenses of this special 

 vinification. 



Cloudiness due to the Action of the Air. 



Exposed to contact with the air, white wine may rapidly become 

 cloudy for several reasons : — 



1. Diastasic casse (break) or yellow casse, which can easily be 

 avoided by sufiicient sulphuring. 



2. Ferric casse, generally caused by the accidental contact of the 

 wine with a metal, producing with the acids in the wine ferrous salts. 

 The cloud is due then to the formation of an insoluble tannate of iron, 

 and is blackish owing to the oxidation of the ferrous salts. This is 

 easily remedied by a fining, preceded by an addition of tannin, and 

 sufficient oration to precipitate the tannate. 



3. Over fining, caused by repeated or defective finings, leaving a 

 certain quantity of albuminous matters in the wine. These wines 

 often remain bright in bottle and cask for a long time, becoming 

 cloudy with less than an hour's exposure to the air, and the cloud 

 increases upon the addition of tannin or upon heating the wine. The 

 action of the air can be explained by the oxidation of tannin and 

 albumen as we have seen above. The treatment is either the addition 

 of tannin and aeration, or else pasteurization and prolonged rest. 



Cream of Tartae. 



Deposits of cream of tartar are frequent in wines bottled too 

 young, even if preserved at a uniform temperature. Generally this 

 crystallization does not interfere with the limpidity of the wine. The 

 little crystals, rarely adherent to the glass, deposit, then gradually 

 increase in size becoming a more or less brownish yellow. This pre- 

 cipitation is particularly easy with heavily sulphured wines. By its 



